


Call Me Maybe

by Grayson_179



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-29
Updated: 2016-08-28
Packaged: 2018-08-11 16:52:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7900480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grayson_179/pseuds/Grayson_179
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How did Waverly and Nicole get from meeting at Shorty's to making out on Nedley's couch (and beyond)?  Between the episodes fic - canon through 1.09.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Call Me Maybe

_Hey, I just met you_

_And this is crazy_

_But here’s my number_

_So call me maybe_

Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe

 

“Teddy?  I finally talked to her.” Nicole flopped down on her threadbare couch, foregoing any greeting to her twin brother when he answered the phone.

“Yeah?  How’d it go?”  His eager tone suggested he expected nothing short of an accepted marriage proposal.

Nicole let out a short laugh.  “Well, I got her to take her shirt off.”

“What?!  Way to go! Or should I be worried about both of you being a little loose?  I would have thought small-town girls would take things a little slower than you city women.”

“The suburbs of Edmonton hardly count as the city.  And, full disclosure, the shirt-taking-off was a result of some faulty taps at the bar, not my charm,” Nicole admitted.

Nicole sighed.  “She has a boyfriend.”

“Aw, I’m sorry.”

“For a second, it seemed like we had a connection.  Even though I got nervous and overcompensated with a cheesy line.”

“This, I’ve got to hear.”  Teddy laughed.

“It was super dumb.”

“I’m sure it was.  I still want to hear it.”

“Oh, fine,” Nicole huffed.  “It was something like, ‘When I see something I like, I don’t want to wait.’”

Teddy paused.  Nicole knew he was trying to think of something nice to say.  “That’s not so terrible.  A little random.  Was that a straight-out come-on, or some sort of double entendre?”

“Coffee.  It was about coffee.  And there wasn’t even any actual coffee since they weren’t open yet, so it wasn’t like I even actually saw the thing I liked.  Other that Waverly.  So, super cheesy.”

“So, what now?  Pine pitifully?  Let it go and find another hottie?  You said she has a sister, right?”  Nicole could almost hear the eyebrow waggle over the phone.

“Yeah, that’s not a good idea.  The sister is kind of a mess, if half of what I hear is true.”

“Okay, well at least tell me how good she looked topless.”

Nicole smiled, which she knew was her brother’s intention.  “In your dreams.”

*****

“Deputy!  Shift’s over!  Come down to Shorty’s with me and grab some dinner.  You’ve been here two weeks.  It’s high time you get to know the locals a little better.”

Nicole looked up at her boss, who was standing by her desk with his hat on, clearly ready to go at five o’clock on the dot.  She had been sticking around a little late since she had started, both wanting to make a good impression on her first real law enforcement job, and to get an opportunity to read old case files and learn a bit more about the town she had just moved to.

She had planned on waiting longer than a day to go back to Shorty’s - she didn’t want Waverly to think she was pushy - but showing up with her boss was hardly stalker material.  What could it hurt?  Purgatory was a small town, and it wasn’t like she could avoid Waverly forever.  She could act normal.

“Sure, Sheriff Nedley.”

*****

Ugh, the boy-man was there.  He was handsome, Nicole supposed, if you liked them beefy and vapid.  She cringed internally every time Champ - _really, his name was Champ?_ \- did something obnoxious.  It was clear Waverly was trying to work, but Champ kept doing juvenile things to get her attention - throwing a wadded-up straw paper at her, or egging his buddies on in ordering complicated drinks.

Waverly smiled at him, but it looked fake - she was no cheerier with him than any other customer.  Well, except for herself, Nicole thought, perhaps a little hopefully.  Waverly’s smile widened when Nicole ordered the fish and chips, though she stammered when she greeted her.  Nicole thought the blush that came over Waverly’s cheeks was adorable, and she chose to interpret it as a positive sign that she affected the other woman.

Shorty clearly cared for his favorite bartender, and the town’s people did as well.  Waverly was kind to everyone, and she seemed to know something about everyone, asking one man about his new granddaughter and a woman about her son’s new job.  People didn’t seem as enamored of her sister, who was at the end of the bar, peeling the label off her beer and scowling at anyone who tried to sit next to her.

Nedley was chatting with the farmer on the other side of him, so Nicole thought she may as well do what she came there for - mingling.

She walked over to Waverly’s sister - Wynonna, apparently - and sat down without hesitation.

Wynonna glared at her.  “You here to arrest me, officer?  Being a bitch isn’t a crime, last I checked.”

Nicole laughed.  “I’d be sitting in a cell if it were.”

Wynonna raised an eyebrow and looked her up and down.  “Really?  Because you look pretty straightlaced to me.”

“I’m a woman in a male-dominated field.  You don’t think anyone’s ever called me a bitch?  Those were the nice ones.  But that’s okay.  What’s bitchy in a woman is ambitious in a man, so I took it as a compliment.”  Nicole shrugged.

Wynonna nodded.  “Fair enough.  So, what’s your name, officer?  I assume you know mine.”

“Haught.  Nicole Haught.  Nice to meet you in person, Wynonna.”  Nicole stuck out her hand and Wynonna shook it with something that was not quite a smile, but wasn’t a sneer either..

Nicole had just offered Wynonna condolences on the loss of her uncle - Nedley should be proud that she was picking up on information about the people in town - when the other woman’s phone rang.

“Yeah, I got it.  I’ll be there as soon as I can...No, I’m not drunk.  Tipsy, maybe, and that doesn’t count.  I can still shoot straight, don’t you worry.”

Nicole was intrigued by who might be on the other end of a call like that.  She wondered if she should inquire as to who or what Wynonna might be shooting that night, when she heard the other woman wrap up the conversation.

“See you, Dolls.”

“You’re going to see Deputy Marshall Dolls?” Nicole was confused.  The terse agent had taken over the investigation of the woman who was killed right when Wynonna came to town.  Nedley had been grumpy about it.

“Yeah.  Black Badge Division business.  Oh, I guess that means I’ll see you tomorrow!  We’re setting up shop in the conference room at the police station.”

Nicole’s brow furrowed.  “You’re part of the Black Badge Division?” She hoped she didn’t sound as incredulous as she felt.

Wynonna didn’t look insulted.  Instead, she just snorted, “Can you believe it?  Those jokers gave me a badge.  The gun’s my own, though.”  She patted her side, and Nicole saw the old-time revolver strapped to Wynonna’s side.

“Oh.  Great.  That sounds...great.  See ya.”  Nicole waved limply and watched as Wynonna put on her fringed jacket and sauntered out of the bar with a wink at her sister.  

_The whole town thinks she’s a psycho, but the Feds recruited her for a hush-hush organization?  Am I the only one who thinks that’s strange?_

For what it was worth, her conversation with Wynonna had taken Nicole’s mind off of Waverly.  Waverly, who appeared at that moment with her food.

“You sure I can’t get you something to drink besides water?  Cappuccino, maybe?”  Waverly seemed to have regained her composure, if her smirk was any indication.  

Nicole laughed.  “Thanks, but I’m good with water.  But coffee another time, eh?”

Waverly ducked her chin and smiled.  “Yeah, that’d be great.”

“I promise to give you three days’ notice.”

“Ha ha.  I’ll clear my schedule.”  Waverly walked away to deal with another customer, but the smiled remained on Nicole’s face.

Maybe what Waverly needed was a friend.  Nicole could do that.  Being sour grapes about Waverly not being interested in her would only deprive two women of a similar age someone to hang out with.  Nicole knew she could use a friend, and making one in a small town was anything but easy.  She vowed to put her feelings aside and see if she could simply get to know Waverly - and, perhaps, her enigmatic sister.  She had a feeling that would be far more interesting than watching Orange Is the New Black with her cat every night.

*****

“Teddy, this place is weird.”

“I thought the nice word for small towns was quirky.”

“Purgatory is beyond quirky.  Three crazy guys just kidnapped Wynonna, Waverly’s boyfriend and her boss.  Her boss died, and they said it was a heart attack, but it sounds fishy.  They’re saying the kidnappers were part of some sort of cult, but I know there’s something else going on, especially since Wynonna and Dolls were involved.”  

“Maybe it’s not Purgatory that’s weird, it’s the Earps.”

“That’s what everyone else says.  But I think it’s more than that.  I’ve been reading old case files, and this place has had an extremely high number of gruesome murders.”

“Nic, I’m sorry.  That sounds messed up.  Be careful, will you?  Even if the cult explanation is real, that seems pretty scary.”

“Yeah.  I’ll look out for myself.  I just feel so badly for Waverly.  All these people she loves keep getting put in jeopardy - or worse - and I can see her trying to keep it together.”

“Maybe you can be there - someone less involved who can be who she leans on when everyone else around her is struggling.”

“I know.  She probably needs a friend.  I can’t ask for anything more, and I care about her too much to complicate her life with my feelings.”

“You’re a good person.  Just give it time.  I bet the more she gets to know you the more she’ll see how much happier she’d be with you than the lug she’s with now.”

*****

Nicole accompanied Nedley to Shorty’s a few more times, hoping to show herself she could handle just being Waverly’s friend.  Unfortunately, Champ was there more often than not, and it was like a knife to the heart every time he draped himself all over Waverly.  Nicole knew she had no right to be jealous, but the empty look on Waverly’s face made her want to come to the other woman’s rescue.  But doing that would mean replacing one person telling Waverly what to do with another, and she couldn’t do that.  

Whom she wanted to be with was Waverly’s decision to make.  Nicole would never actively try to break someone up, so she simply smiled when she saw Waverly and tried not to notice that almost every time she looked up, Waverly was already looking back.  Once, she got caught by Gus, who raised an eyebrow but gave her a smile.  She realized she wasn’t being nearly as subtle as she had hoped and vowed to be more careful.

Ultimately, she decided it wasn’t worth it.  She went back to staying late at the police station and making the most of her interactions with Waverly when she was there for Black Badge business.  Waverly was so much freer when Champ wasn’t around.  Whatever she was doing for Black Badge - research of some kind, it seemed - it made her more confident.  And a more confident Waverly was prone to big smiles and little touches when she was around Nicole.  It drove Nicole nuts, but she took her brother’s advice.  She neither pushed nor backed away and hoped that in time circumstances would change.

*****

“I guess we won’t be seeing Champ around as much,” Dolls remarked in his usual mild tone, as he walked past Nicole’s desk towards the Black Badge conference room.

Champ had only stopped by the police station a couple of times since Waverly had begun assisting the Black Badge division, and it had been clear Dolls found him to be a nuisance.  Obviously, Nicole felt the same way.  She just imagined Dolls didn’t picture tearing his tattooed arms off and smacking him with them every time Champ hugged Waverly when it was clear she’d rather he not.

Nicole looked up.  “What’s that, Deputy Marshall Dolls?”  Was it too much to hope he had decided to leave this crazy town and never come back?

“Rumor is Waverly broke up with him,” Dolls called over his shoulder before he closed the door behind him.

Nicole couldn’t help but grin.

*****

She couldn’t stop grinning after the next visitor to her desk had left.

Waverly had arrived shortly after Dolls, Wynonna in tow.  Wynonna greeted Nicole with her usual “Hey, Officer Haughtpants” and disappeared into the conference room.  Waverly hung back, wringing her hands, then shoving them in her pockets.  As soon as she spoke, though, they came out and fluttered around her as she stammered through her question.

“So, it’s Wednesday - of course you know it’s Wednesday - and, you know, since I want to make sure you have plenty of time to plan, I was wondering if you might want to finally have that coffee with me on Saturday.  You know, like you mentioned when we met?  I thought, you know, that maybe this weekend would be a good time.”  

Geez, ‘you know’ much?” she mumbled to herself after she finally took a breath.

Nicole was simultaneously amused and stunned.  Was Waverly asking her out?  Was she just looking for someone to talk to about all the crazy things going on in her life?  Only one way to find out.

“Of course.  I’d love to.  When and where?”

*****

“So, what are you going to wear?” Teddy asked as soon as Nicole called him to tell him about her Saturday plans.

“Really, that’s your question?”  Her brother wasn’t particularly into fashion, but she appreciated his commitment to helping her make the most of this situation.

“Yeah - this is a huge opportunity.  From what you’ve told me, it sounds like she’s never seen you out of uniform.  You guys just run into each other while you’re on duty, right?”

“True.”  Nicole was impressed with her brother’s insight.  “But, remember, it’s freaking freezing out here.  It’s not like I can show a bunch of skin without risking frostbite.”

“Fair point.  And maybe I’m wrong.  Maybe she’s a badge bunny who’s only into you because of the uniform.”

“Aaaand, there’s the Teddy I know and love.”

*****  

In the end, Nicole chose to wear a modestly (but not chastely) cut blue v-necked sweater and jeans.  It wasn’t like it was appropriate to show up in a slinky evening dress so as to fully stun Waverly.  It was just coffee.

All the same, it seemed to have an effect.

“Hey, Nicole!”  Waverly waved from the table she had already sat down at.  She stood up to greet Nicole and bumped her knees on the chair, probably because her eyes were glued to Nicole’s chest.

Nicole managed to get over to Waverly quickly enough to steady her.  Waverly looked up at Nicole, now very much in her personal space.

“You look great!  I mean, nice.  I mean, great and nice.”  She waved her hands - her typical nervous gesture, Nicole observed.  “I’ve just never seen you out of your uniform.”

_I’m so not telling Teddy how right he was._

Nicole raised an eyebrow, and Waverly immediately blushed.  “You know what I mean.”  Perhaps trying to move past her double entendre, she continued, “I’ve never seen you with your hair down either.”

Nicole wasn’t sure what to say to that.  Waverly seemed nervous - in a good way - but it tied Nicole’s tongue.  She searched for some way to respond that was the walked the line of being flirty without being over eager.  She came up with nothing.

She sat down, feeling awkward, only to have Waverly ask, “So, should we go order our coffees?”

That required getting back up and putting in their orders at the counter.  Waverly chatted animatedly with the barista, while Nicole rocked on her heels, hands behind her back.

It was pretty adorable that Waverly ordered a cappuccino for her - and she paid - so Nicole was feeling more comfortable by the time they got back to the table.  She was searching for the right opening topic, but Waverly beat her to it.

“So, tell me Officer Haught, what made you want to move to our fair city?”

Nicole smiled at the memory of her phone interview with Sheriff Nedley.

_“Can you shoot?”_

_“Do you get squeamish at the sight of blood?”_

_“Can you file paperwork on time?”_

_“Great, you’re hired.”_

“I finished the police academy and applied for a bunch of jobs.  I’m from outside a decent-sized city and was hoping there would be more opportunities in a smaller town.  Getting in the door in a bigger place might be easier, but moving through the ranks as a woman can be pretty hard.  I thought I’d learn more someplace with less bureaucracy.  Sheriff Nedley called me the day he got my application and hired me over the phone.  He seemed pretty happy I was from out of town.  I figured I’d be crazy to wait for something else, so I just accepted.”  She paused a moment.  “I was too excited to think about how weird it was.”

“Wow, that’s really brave,” Waverly commented.  “I’ve never really been out of Purgatory.  I can’t imagine leaving home to move someplace I’d never even seen.”

Nicole had never thought of it as brave.  She took a sip of her cappuccino.  “I’m definitely learning a lot.  I just never imagined there would be so much violent crime in such a small town.  Or so much interaction with Federal agents.”

Waverly looked away, took a swig of coffee, clearly burned her tongue, then coughed from apparently inhaling liquid.

Nicole sat, wide-eyed, waiting for Waverly to recover.  

Finally, Waverly croaked out, “So, do you have any pets?”

Nicole’s forehead wrinkled.   _I guess talking Black Badge Division isn’t going to happen._  She opened her mouth to tell Waverly about Calamity Jane, when the other woman’s phone rang.

“Wynonna?  What’s wrong?...I’m busy - is this urgent?...None of your business…”  Waverly sighed.  “Fine, I’ll meet you at the police station.”

“Nicole, I’m so sorry.”  Waverly put her hand on top of Nicole’s, effectively diffusing the frustration Nicole felt at realizing the weird goings-on of Purgatory were about to ruin a lovely morning.

“But you have to go.  I get it.  Do you want a ride to the station?” Nicole figured she could at least extend their time together by a little bit.

Waverly shook her head.  “I really appreciate it, but I drove here and may as well take my own car there.  Plus, it’s your day off.  I don’t want you to get tempted to get sucked into work."

Nicole shoved down her disappointment.  This was progress, and she wouldn’t let any pessimism creep in.

“Rain check?” she asked.

Waverly’s grin lit up her face.  “Definitely.”

*****

Nicole could tell Waverly was anxious as she stood outside her hospital room for the second time that day.  Waverly wrung her hands as the nurse finished checking Nicole’s vitals.  Nicole made eye contact and gave a weak smile.  As happy as she was to see Waverly, and as happy as she had been to hear that Wynonna was okay, it turned out almost dying was pretty painful.  And exhausting.  Nicole just wanted to sleep for a year and wake up in a town that didn’t have such a high murder rate.

The nurse finally left with instructions to get lots of rest, and Waverly tentatively entered the room.

“I - you heard about what happened?  They found Wynonna.  She’s down the hall getting checked out.”

“I’m so glad, Waverly.  I’m sorry she and I got into so much trouble.”  Things were still foggy, but Nicole knew there was something abnormal - paranormal? - about their attacker.  He moved so quickly, and his eyes were like fire.

She shook her head to clear the strange thoughts, then regretted it.  Instantly nauseated, she leaned back against her pillow.

Waverly rushed towards her, hands outstretched.  She pulled back at the last minute, seemingly afraid to touch Nicole.

“It’s okay,” Nicole reassured her.  “I’m okay.  It’s just - I know this sounds crazy, but one of the guys who attacked us was, like, super fast.  It was really weird.  Did they catch him?”

Waverly took a step back and wouldn’t meet Nicole’s eye.  “Uh, yeah, he got killed.  Shot.  Dead.  You know.”

“I really don’t,” Nicole muttered.  She was relieved both she and Wynonna escaped alive and that Waverly didn’t suffer the loss of another loved one.  But she was getting tired of the runaround.

“Listen, I’m supposed to be resting and I’m sure you want to check on Wynonna…” Nicole almost couldn’t believe she was kicking out the woman she spent much of her time trying to find excuses to be around, but a splitting headache and an ever-increasing suspicion that Waverly knew exactly what was going on this town made her want to retreat into herself.  She needed some time to think about things.

“Right.  Sure.  See you soon, I hope.”  Waverly walked to the door.  At the last moment, she turned around.  

“Nicole?” she asked.

“Yeah?”

“I’m so glad you’re okay.”

Nicole couldn’t help smiling.  “Me too.”

*****

“You doing okay, Wynonna?”  Nicole handed the other woman a donut but didn’t make eye contact.

Wynonna accepted it and shrugged.  “Yeah, I’m good.”

Nicole was in no way convinced.

“You?” Wynonna asked.

“I’m okay.  What I went through wasn’t nearly as bad as what you did.”  Nicole tried unsuccessfully to suppress the shudder that went through her every time she thought about the kidnapping.   _Was there a woman in town who hadn’t been kidnapped? This place was so messed up._

Wynonna put a surprisingly gentle hand on Nicole’s wrist.  “It’s not a competition.  Your trauma is as valid as mine.”  She let out a cynical laugh.  “Huh.  I guess some of that therapy in my teenage years actually stuck with me.”

Nicole took a deep breath and finally looked up at Wynonna.  “I have nightmares.  I told Nedley I was fine and that I was ready to go back to work - and I mostly am. But when I go to sleep I still see him, or I’m still buried in the dirt and freezing cold.”

Wynonna let go of Nicole and folded her arms, perhaps an unconscious gesture of self-protection.  “Me too.  The nightmares, I mean.  Except sometimes mine are while I’m awake.  I’m really jumpy, you know?  I want to shoot someone just for tapping me on the shoulder.”

Nicole nodded.  “I became a police officer to try to help people - to catch the bad guys.  But I was so helpless.  I don’t understand how someone could have done that to us so quickly.  All my training, and I couldn’t stop him.”

“I get it.  Vulnerability at the hands of men isn’t my bag either.  But we both escaped.  We survived.  Listen, if you ever get freaked out and don’t want to be alone, we have an extra room.  It’s a super creepy memorial to our dead sister, but there’s a functional bed.”

Nicole considered how weird it would be to ask for a sleepover at Waverly’s house.  “I have a cat - she’ll sleep with me if I get freaked out.”

“Cool.  If you ever change your mind…”

“Thanks.”

*****

Nicole and Waverly found themselves back at the coffee shop with regularity over the next  week.  The first time was a coincidence - Nicole literally almost ran into Waverly as she was carrying her to-go cup out the door.  An adorable smile convinced the cop that Nedley wouldn’t be too mad if she was a few minutes late for her shift, and she sat with Waverly while she drank her cappuccino.  The conversation was a little stilted - Nicole was still recovering fully from her kidnapping injuries, and Waverly changed the subject when Nicole mentioned the report she still hadn’t filed on the incident.

Nicole decided that possible supernatural occurrences weren’t going to keep her from pursuing Waverly.  Maybe someday the other woman would trust her enough to let her in on the secret, but for now she’d be patient.  Gathering her nerve, she asked Waverly to meet her again on purpose the next day, and Waverly agreed.  

The second coffee date was a little more relaxed, so Nicole asked for a third.  

*****

“Did you watch that hockey documentary?” Waverly asked Nicole in lieu of a greeting, as she slid into the booth opposite the officer.  

“I didn’t get a chance - I fell asleep at 8:00.”  Nicole fidgeted with her hat, where it rested on the table.

“You’re still tired from the almost dying.”

Nicole wasn’t sure if it was a statement or a question, and Waverly’s face showed how scary that whole incident was for her.  Nicole reached over to squeeze Waverly’s hand and gave a small smile.

“Yeah, I’m not quite back to one hundred percent.  But I’m getting there.  I really do want to watch that movie.  Maybe you can come over and watch it with me.”

Waverly’s smile lit up her face.  “I’d love to!  I’ll make popcorn.”

Nicole laughed.  “I may not be a great cook, but I can push the buttons on a microwave.”

“Oh, please,” Waverly huffed.  “Microwave popcorn is disgusting.  I make it on the stove with coconut oil - you’ll think you’re at a movie theater.”

“Sounds fantastic.”  

*****

Coffee that morning had gone so well, Nicole took her chances with monopolizing more of Waverly’s time.

“I know it’s crazy cold outside, but I’m tired of being cooped up in the station.  What do you say we go get some lunch?”

Waverly looked up from her desk and smiled.  “Sure, let me get my coat.  And hat.  And scarf.  And mittens.”

They walked down the street to the deli, then unbundled, their outerwear taking up half the booth.

Nicole blew into her hands.  “How many more months of winter?”

Waverly laughed.  “Plenty. Get used to it.  And then enjoy Spring when it finally comes.”

“I will,” Nicole replied, looking into Waverly’s eyes.  She could envision them going hiking together when it got warmer, or just sitting out on Waverly’s porch, watching the sunset.

Waverly smiled but looked down, a light blush on her cheeks.  “So, what are you in the mood for?”  Her blush deepened as she glanced back up at Nicole.

Nicole didn’t capitalize on the potential double entendre.  “I usually get the turkey club sandwich, but I think I’m in the mood for soup today.”

“Their clam chowder is pretty good, if you like that,” Waverly suggested.

“I’m allergic to bivalve mollusks, actually.  So no clams for me.”  Nicole had no intention of getting herself sent to the hospital and ruining a lovely afternoon.

“That’s an awfully specific allergy.”

Nicole shrugged.  “Yeah, but at least it means I can still eat shrimp and crab and lobster.”

“Fair enough.  Bivalve mollusks are a little chewy anyway.  Kind of like rubber bands, now that I think about it.”  Waverly made a face.

“What about you?  Any allergies?”  This didn’t feel like a super-sexy topic of conversation, but Nicole figured it was good information for any future outings that involved food.

“Nope.  I’ll eat just about anything.  Including, apparently, rubber bands.”

“Anything, huh?” Nicole couldn’t help asking.

Waverly raised an eyebrow, but they were interrupted by their server before she could say anything.

“What can I get for you ladies?” the young man asked.

“I’ll have the French onion soup,” Nicole spoke up.

“And I’ll have the chicken salad sandwich on wheat, please.” Waverly put in her order.

“Wonderful.  I’ll get that for you as soon as it’s ready.”

“Thanks!” Waverly said with a smile.  Nicole loved how she was so genuinely friendly and kind to everyone.  She resisted the urge to sigh and make puppy dog eyes across the table.

“So what do Purgatorians - is that the right word? - do in the spring?” she asked instead.

“Mostly shoot things and light things on fire.  And drink,” Waverly replied.

“So, pretty much the same things they do in the winter.”

“Yup.  Just in fewer clothes.”

Nicole’s mouth worked faster than her brain.  “Wow, that makes me look forward to your Spring Shorty’s outfit.  The Winter one’s already a little drafty, eh?”

 _Too much?_ she worried.

Waverly laughed and winked.  “I just prance around in a bikini that says Shorty’s on the butt.”

Nicole shook her head and chuckled.  “No wonder Shorty’s is so popular.  Who cares about dead old Wyatt Earp when his great-granddaughter is there, live and in person?”

*****

Nicole stopped short, just as they were about to enter the police station.  She knew as soon as they did, there would be people around and the flirty vibe they carried through lunch would dissipate.

“So, are we still on for that movie?  I can’t wait to taste your popcorn.”  Nicole felt like that came out dirtier than she intended.  

“Right.  Yeah.  For sure.”  Waverly’s mittened hands fidgeted.  Nicole hoped it was nervous energy of the good kind.

“Friday?  Seven o’clock?”

“Sounds good.”

“Can’t wait.”

Nicole leaned forward to open the door for Waverly, just as the other woman reached for the handle.  They bumped shoulders, and a little of the nervousness seemed to dissipate as they giggled.  Nicole looked down at Waverly and froze at the intense look she received.  Friday couldn’t come soon enough.  Maybe, if they spent some time alone together in private, they could talk about what was going on between them.  Or just move straight to action.

She managed to pull her eyes away from Waverly’s and opened the door with a flourish.

“After you, ma’am,” she said with a tip of her hat.

*****

“I’m so stupid!” Nicole berated herself to her brother.

“Tell me what happened and I’ll help you figure out how to fix it.”  Teddy’s voice was smugly calm.

“Ugh - people in happy relationships always think things are simple.”

“How would I have even known you were stupid about something to do with Waverly?  There are so many things you could have been stupid about.”

“Oh, shut up.”

“Don’t hate because I actually got a woman to go out with me.  Just assume I know what I’m doing and my advice is stellar.”

“Fine.  But only because I have no one else to talk to.  First, this morning my boss rejected my report on my kidnapping and told me to let go of my ideas about what really happened.  And you know what a crazy experience that was.  There’s no way any part of it was normal.”

“I know. I still wish you’d have let me come take care of you when you got out of the hospital.”

“I can’t risk something awful happening to you.  This place is dangerous and I can’t figure out what’s going on, let alone how to stay out of trouble.”

“Well, how am I ever going to meet Waverly?”

“There may never be a reason.  After I talked to Nedley, I tried to talk to Waverly about it.  I know she knows something - it’s all tied up in this Black Badge Division stuff - but the conversation was a disaster.  I was talking to her about my conspiracy theories, and she was talking about us.”

“Oh dear.”

“Yeah, I finally had a chance to try to figure out what’s going on between us and I totally blew it.  I didn’t realize at the time we weren’t having the same conversation, and I accused her of making fun of me.”

“That’s not so bad - it was just a misunderstanding.  You can clear that up easily.  You’ll look back on it and laugh someday.  Probably while you’re little old ladies sitting in your rocking chairs.”

“It gets worse.  I picked her up when she was walking out in the cold, and we ended up fighting again.  She made it very clear we’re not dating and she only wants to be friends.”

“Ouch.”

“So where’s your I’m-so-good-at-relationships magical advice?”

“Um, crack open a fifth of whiskey and drown your sorrows?”

*****

Nicole had had no idea Nedley’s couch would be so comfortable.

“This may be the sexiest thing that’s ever happened to me,” Nicole breathed into Waverly’s neck.

“What?  Making out in your boss’s office with a nerdy, confused girl in a bulky sweater who’s only ever kissed three - well, now four - people and slept with two?”  Waverly’s attempt at a joking tone fell flat.

Nicole pulled back and blinked, trying to process all that information at once.  She intended to follow up on each of those elements, but for now she kept it simple: “No, kissing Waverly Earp.  Kissing you.  I’ve never -” Nicole stopped, not wanting to overstate her feelings and scare Waverly off.  “You’re just so -”

Nicole stopped again.  How could Waverly not know how wonderful she was?  The whole town thought she hung the moon.  

Waverly smiled, seemingly amused at Nicole’s loss for words.  

“You scare me too.” Nicole finally completed a sentence.

“I do?  How is that possible?  I don’t think I scare the rats that eat all the crumbs at Shorty’s.”  

Propping herself up was getting difficult, so Nicole sat up, pulling Waverly along with her.  They tucked their legs underneath themselves and faced each other on Nedley’s couch.

“What I feel for you - even when it was an unrequited crush, it was...intense.  It hurt to watch you hurt when Wynonna was kidnapped.  Wow, that happened twice, now that I think about it.”  Nicole shook her head and got back to the point.  “Now that you seem to feel something for me, too, I’m terrified I’m going to screw it up.  Or that you’ll be the one kidnapped next time, and I won’t be able to take it.”

“For the record, I already was, but it all turned out fine,” Waverly commented, nonchalantly.

“This place is crazy.  Don’t think we’re not going to have that conversation soon.  But my point is -”

Nicole found herself interrupted by Waverly’s lips on her own.   _Right, kissing, not talking._ Waverly pushed her back down onto the couch, and Nicole’s arms instinctively wrapped around her.  Her head swam.  There was so much to process, and her brain was on overload.  For a moment, she gave herself over to the feelings of holding the woman she had pined for in her arms, but when Waverly slid her leg between Nicole’s, the deputy had to pull away.

“Wait,” she panted.  “We can’t do this.”

Waverly looked devastated, so Nicole quickly kissed her before continuing.  “I just mean right here - right now.  We can’t go any further on Nedley’s couch.  I’m not sure I could come to work again if I had a memory of you and me...doing this...here.  I definitely couldn’t come back to work if my boss caught us.”

“Of course.”  Waverly sat up and ran a hand through her hair.  “So, what do we do now?”  She looked a little shy, as though she had used up all her bravado in the previous five minutes.

All Nicole wanted was to make Waverly happy.  She couldn’t bear the thought of this beautiful moment ending with Waverly feeling insecure.

“Well, maybe if we keep things PG and listen out for anyone in the lobby…”

Waverly grinned and pounced on Nicole for the third time that evening.

*****

“Teddy!  She kissed me!  Call me back!”


	2. Chapter 2

Clearly, the universe was telling them that making out at work was a bad idea.  After the third time in as many days that someone interrupted them at the station, Nicole decided to go for the obvious solution.  She grabbed Waverly’s hand before she could disappear into the Black Badge’s conference room to deal with whatever craziness Dolls and Wynonna needed to talk about.

“Hey, Wave - you wanna go to dinner with me tonight?  Or are you working at Shorty’s?”

Waverly looked surprised but pleased.  “I’d love to!  No bartending for me tonight.”

Nicole smiled.  “I’m only here until noon - taking my turn at a weekend shift.  I’ll pick you up at seven at your place?”

Waverly thought a moment.  “If you pick me up at the homestead, Wynonna might try to tag along.  I assume you’re not interested in a chaperone.”

Nicole’s brow furrowed.  Why would Wynonna want to tag along if they were going on a date?

“You haven’t told her about us.”  It was a statement, not a question.  It had only been one kiss - well, one serious makeout session - and a few stolen moments in the intervening three days.  It wasn’t like they had declared their love for each other.  Nicole hoped her tone didn’t sound offended.

“Well, no.  It’s so new and I didn’t want to deal with a bunch of questions.  You’re not mad, are you?” Waverly asked. 

Nicole gave Waverly’s hand a squeeze.  “Of course not.  We haven’t talked about this - I have no expectations.  Though, for the record, I called my brother as soon as I got home that night.”  She smiled and was pleased to see Waverly smile back.  But then the other woman frowned.

“You have a brother?” 

“Yeah, Teddy - my twin.” 

“What?  You’re a twin?” 

“See?  This is why we need to spend some time together and talk.  What if you’re freaked out when I tell you I’m related to Rob Ford?” 

Waverly pulled her hand away and stepped back, but she was smiling.  “Seriously?  Yeah, that might be a deal breaker.” 

Nicole shrugged.  “He’s just a distant cousin.  Now, go do your Black Badge thing before they come looking for you.  I’ll see you tonight.  I can pick you up here if you don’t want to go home first.” 

“Sure.  I can’t wait.” 

***** 

“This is nice.”  Nicole smiled across the table after they gave their orders to the waitress.

“Bud’s Diner?  It’s okay, I guess.  You’re from the city - I’m sure you’ve been places much nicer.”  Waverly played with a napkin.  It seemed like she had to keep her hands busy at all times.  Nicole tried not to let that thought go down an inappropriate path.

“I’m from the suburbs, and that’s not what I meant.  Bud’s is fine - I just meant being out with you with no interruptions.”

“Knock on wood!” Waverly exclaimed.  “I’m not tempting fate.”

Nicole was pleased Waverly seemed as eager as she was for some time alone together.

Waverly continued, “Work already kept me from getting away sooner.  Sorry we’re having such a late dinner.”

“It’s fine.  Everything’s okay with all your secret Black Badge stuff?”  Nicole tried to keep her tone light, though she knew she and Waverly would eventually need to have the conversation she thought they were having a few days prior.

“For the moment,” Waverly replied, not quite meeting Nicole’s eyes.

Nicole wasn’t going to blow this over her need to be in the loop.  She smiled and changed the subject.  “Let’s do the typical first date thing.  Tell me something about yourself.  I feel like I know all these things about you - and your sisters, and your dad - but because I've heard them from other people. It's kind of like dating a celebrity.”

Waverly laughed.

“I want to hear them from you.”  Nicole leaned forward.  “And I want to know all the things no one else knows.”

Waverly leaned forward as well, and she took Nicole’s hand on the table.  “There's so much I don't know about you either - but I want to, too.  It’s like I crave every piece of information about you.  I want to know what it’s like being a twin and your first kiss and why you became a cop and what your favorite movie is and, just, well, everything.”  Waverly couldn’t keep her hands still for long, and she let go of Nicole’s by the end of her declaration, gesturing broadly.

Nicole’s heart sped up.  It was still hard for her to believe Waverly had feelings for her, after trying to keep her own in check for months.

“I have an idea.  I read this article awhile ago about this list of questions that can make you -” Nicole paused.  The article said ‘fall in love,’ but she didn’t want to overwhelm Waverly.  “- that you should ask your partner.  We should look them up and ask each other.”

Waverly’s eyes lit up.  “A research-driven questionnaire?  I love it!”  She dug her phone out of her purse.  “What did you say it was called?”

Nicole panicked for a moment, realizing Waverly was going to see the title of the article, but she decided it was pointless to worry.  Besides, if the questions did their trick, Waverly would be in love with her by the end of the night.

“Something about thirty-six questions.”

Waverly typed for a moment.  Her facial expression didn’t change as she pulled up the page, which Nicole took as a good sign.  “Got it!  Should we just jump right in?”

“I guess so.  What’s the first one?”

“Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?”

“Wow, that’s surprisingly hard.  Do they have to be alive?” Nicole asked.

“It doesn’t say.”

“Is it cheesy if I say you?  I’m thrilled to be having dinner with you, right now.  There’s nobody I’d rather be with.”

Waverly blushed.  “You’re sweet.  Would you be offended if I said Willa?  I’m interpreting the question as anyone ever, and I’d love the chance to see my sister one more time.  I looked up to her so much when we were kids, and I hope she’d be proud of me if she knew me now.”

Nicole squeezed Waverly’s hand.  “Of course I’m not offended.  I can’t imagine what it’s like to lose a sibling.  My brother and I are so close - I don’t know what I’d do without him.”

“Okay, here’s question two: Would you like to be famous? In what way?”

“Nope.  You?”

“Nope.”

The food arrived, and they began to eat, continuing with the list of questions.  This was by far the best first date Nicole had ever been on.  Then again, she was pretty sure sitting around and watching paint dry with Waverly would be the best date ever.

*****

“Number six: If you were able to live to the age of 90 and retain either the mind or body of a 30-year-old for the last 60 years of your life, which would you want?” Waverly asked.

“That’s easy - the body.  I’m a cop - if I could be fit for decades, that would be fantastic.  What about you?”

“The mind. What can I say, I’m a nerd,” Waverly answered.  Nicole wasn’t surprised.

Waverly hesitated before the next one.  “Do you have a secret hunch about how you will die?”

If this exercise was supposed to promote honesty and trust, Nicole wasn’t going to hold back.  “I didn’t until I moved here.  Now, I’m pretty sure it would be violent and bloody.  And perpetrated by someone not quite human.”

“Yeah, I’d be lying if I didn’t say the same thing.”  Waverly quickly moved on.  “Next question: Name three things you and your partner appear to have in common.  Technically, that’s a statement,” she observed.  “Is it wrong that I just want to list body parts?  Is that some sort of side effect of same-sex attraction?”

Keeping up with this questionnaire was like being on a roller coaster.  One minute they were serious and deep, the next they were flirty.   _I guess that’s the point of cramming all this stuff into one quiz._  Nicole tried to roll with it.  She raised an eyebrow.  “It’s not wrong.  Go ahead and list those for me.”

Waverly blushed.  “I changed my mind.  Pass.  Next question.  For what in your life -”

Nicole covered her phone from across the table to get Waverly to stop reading.  “No fair.  No one said anything about passing.”

“Nope.  I’m too embarrassed now.  You go.  What do we have in common?”

“Well, definitely not our height…”

“You’re terrible!  We’re moving on.”

*****

“Take four minutes and and tell your partner your life story in as much detail as possible.”

“Are you going to time me?” Nicole asked.

“You know it.”  She opened the stopwatch app on her phone.  “I’m a stickler for fidelity.”

Nicole smiled.  “Me too.”

*****

They had switched to Nicole asking the questions and Waverly answering first for the second set of questions.  

“What is your most terrible memory?  Wait, I changed my mind about passing -  you don’t have to answer that.  I think we already covered this in your life story anyway.”

Nicole noticed Waverly blinking back tears, not for the first time that evening.  This falling in love thing was intense.  

“Okay.  Thanks.”

*****

The folks at Bud’s got tired of refilling their drinks while they took up a table, so they braved the cold for the third set of questions.  Holding mittened hands, they passed the phone back and forth while they walked down the street.  

Nicole had never been happier.  The exercise was totally working for her because she felt like she was falling headfirst into something.  Waverly’s answers showed she was ever sweeter and smarter and funnier and sexier than Nicole had thought at the beginning of the night.  Nicole hoped Waverly liked what she heard from her.  If Waverly snuggling up to her and holding her arm tightly was any indication, she did.  Then again, it was ridiculously cold.

Finally, they arrived at the thirty-sixth question.  

“Share a personal problem and ask your partner’s advice on how he or she might handle it. Also, ask your partner to reflect back to you how you seem to be feeling about the problem you have chosen,” Nicole read.

Waverly stopped and put her arms around Nicole.  She looked up at her and gave an enigmatic smile.  “I have a problem.”

“Oh yeah?  I’m sure I can help you solve it.”  Nicole knew what her own problem was - not knowing why so many people died horrible deaths in their tiny town - but she wasn’t sure she wanted to end the evening on that note.  

“I’m quite certain you can.  You see, I can’t seem to stop picturing you naked.”  

Nicole froze for a moment, not expecting that statement, then recovered.  “Ah.  I suppose I could distract you, if it’s bothering you.  Maybe we could talk about curling.  Is there a curling league in Purgatory?  I used to curl in college.”

Waverly laughed.  “Not quite the solution I was looking for.”

“I’m sorry.  I’m just pleasantly surprised you’re thinking about that.”

“What - because of the whole I’ve-never-been-with-a-woman-before thing?  I have to admit, finding you attractive was never a hurdle I had to get over.”

Nicole felt a thrill run through her at Waverly’s words.  “Really?  That makes me feel way less creepy for the recurring fantasy I have about us at the bar.”

Waverly grinned and grabbed Nicole’s hand.  She started off down the street, and Nicole had to jog to keep up.

“What are you doing?  Where are we going?”

Waverly said nothing as they ran for a block, then stopped abruptly.  They were outside Shorty’s.

_Oh._

Waverly pulled her keys out of her pocket, fumbled with them for a moment, then pushed the door open.

“Wow, it’s later than I thought if we’re out past Shorty’s last call,” Nicole commented, looking around the empty bar.

“It’s after midnight.  We still have weird blue laws that don’t allow for serving alcohol on Sundays, so Shorty’s shuts down as soon as it’s not Saturday anymore.”

Nicole was still trying to catch up with the turn the evening had taken.  She had just asked Waverly out for dinner, hoping to spend time talking and getting to know each other.  She wasn’t planning on initiating anything beyond that.  Well, maybe a kiss or two on Waverly’s porch when she dropped her off.  

This felt different.  She couldn’t predict what was going to happen.

“What are we doing here?”

Waverly smiled and walked towards Nicole, backing her up until she hit the bar.

“Tell me more about this fantasy,” she instructed.

Nicole swallowed.  She was tempted to throw caution to the wind and just show Waverly, but she understood how important it was to be able to talk about these things.  Really, if she couldn’t say it out loud she had no business doing it.  At least, that’s what her rather progressive sex ed teacher had told them in high school.  All the same, it seemed more intimate to talk about what she wanted than to do it.

“Well, getting freaky on the bar itself seems a little cliche, not to mention unsanitary, so in my dreams, I’m sitting on a barstool and you’re on my lap.”

“Mm hm.”  Waverly took a step back, but only to move Nicole a foot to the left so she could sit on the nearest stool.

Nicole looked down at Waverly, unable to keep from licking her lips as she felt the other woman climb onto her and wrap her legs around her.  Now she was looking up at Waverly.

“I like this angle,” Waverly commented with a smile.

“Me too.”

“What next?”

Nicole couldn’t help blushing.  She was determined to be honest - there was no better way to get what you wanted than to ask for it.

“You nibble on my ears.”

“Your ears, huh?”  Waverly didn’t seem weirded out.  “I’m not sure I’ve ever nibbled an ear - any tips?”

This woman was perfect.  “Use your teeth - just a little bit - at the top.  I don’t know why, but they’re ridiculously sensitive there.”

Waverly smiled and bent her head, her mouth finding Nicole’s ear.  Nicole’s arms tightened around her as she shivered.  This was infinitely better than in her own head.

After a few moments, Waverly switched ears.  It was like there was an electrical connection between the top of her ears and a point decidedly south of there.  Almost unable to take it, Nicole pulled back and looked at Waverly.  Her heart was pounding and she hoped the look on her face didn’t qualify as dopey.  She could barely focus.

“What about you?  Any particularly sensitive spots?” she managed to inquire.

Waverly looked like she had never been asked that.  “The back of my neck.  Which Ch- no one ever seemed to bother with, since my hair was always in the way.”

Nicole carefully stood up, keeping Waverly’s legs wrapped around her, then reversed their positions and deposited Waverly onto the barstool.  She spun the stool around and swept Waverly’s hair over one shoulder.  Waverly shuddered, and Nicole hadn’t even touched her yet.

Nicole licked the back of Waverly’s neck, then blew on it.  She put her hands on Waverly’s waist to steady herself.  Waverly pulled Nicole’s hands around herself, and Nicole kissed her neck, using her tongue and lips to make Waverly feel as good as possible.  She did her best to ignore the temptation to move her hands just a little higher - there would be time for that later, she hoped.

When she had completely covered every millimeter of Waverly’s nape, she moved up and sucked the other woman’s earlobe into her mouth, then gently bit down on the side.

“Mm, I can see why you like that.”  Waverly turned and stood up, guiding Nicole back onto the barstool, then climbed back into her lap.  “Now let’s make out like teenagers.”

“If we were still teenagers, we’d be doing this with a boy.  And I’d have really bad acne,” Nicole pointed out.  

“Good point.  Let’s make out like adult women who like women.”

“Works for me.”  Nicole grinned.

Waverly had the softest lips, and Nicole thought she could spend hours exploring them and not get tired of it.  Waverly’s fingers were dancing up and down Nicole’s sides, making her arch her back when they hit too ticklish a spot.  The other woman giggled at Nicole’s reaction, then did it again.

Nicole’s response was involuntary, and her gasp was one of arousal, not discomfort.  She locked eyes with Waverly, whose twinkle turned intense when she understood what she was doing to Nicole.  She smirked and slid her hands under Nicole’s shirt.  Nicole couldn’t help smiling.  This woman was something else.

Nicole buried her hands in Waverly’s hair and pulled her back down.  She needed more of those lips.  Suddenly, she turned her head.

“Hey, is that a rat?” Nicole was only slightly alarmed.

“Shh, just ignore them.”  Waverly turned Nicole’s face back towards her own.

“Wow, I’ve never made out with someone while pretending there weren’t rats.”

Waverly laughed, and Nicole’s heart swelled at the sound.  Sweaty palms and thumping heart aside, there was something wonderfully comfortable about being with this woman.  Nicole trusted Waverly - if not about the freaky stuff going on in Purgatory, at least with her heart.  It sounded cheesy, even in her own head, but she couldn’t help herself.

Nicole smiled and pressed her lips to Waverly’s again.

“So, have we covered everything in your fantasy?” Waverly asked, as Nicole was occupied with the side of her neck.

Nicole looked up.  “Yeah, this is pretty much it.  The more X-rated ones took place elsewhere.”

“You sure?  Gus is selling the place, so it might be our last chance.  We could get naked and crazy right where Old Man Gundersdorf throws up every Friday night.”

“Wow, that’s an even bigger turnoff than the rats.”

“You don’t seem turned off,” Waverly astutely observed.

Nicole raised an eyebrow and shrugged.  Back they went to the kissing.  Waverly’s hands were in Nicole’s hair, and Nicole’s were firmly planted on Waverly’s ass.  Nicole knew they weren’t going any further than first base in a dirty bar - okay, maybe second if they kept it up much longer - but it was as overwhelming as any sexual encounter she’d ever had.  Overwhelming, but at the same time grounding.  It was like Nicole was flying, but she had never been more present in a moment.  Her whole life had led up to this purpose -

Then she yawned.

Waverly laughed again.  “Am I boring you, Officer Haught?”

Nicole buried her face in Waverly’s neck.  “I’m so sorry,” she mumbled.  “I’m not used to staying up so late.”

“Poor baby.”  Waverly’s sympathy was punctuated by a yawn of her own.

“It’s contagious,” Nicole apologized.

“Unless you’re a sociopath,” Waverly commented.

“Good to know,” Nicole replied.

“We should get you to bed.”

“Why Miss Earp, how forward of you.”  Nicole couldn’t help but grin.

Waverly slid off of Nicole’s lap and held out her hand.  “You’re clearly tired, and I wouldn’t want you at anything less than your peak when we get to some of those X-rated fantasies you mentioned.”

“We could just sleep,” Nicole offered as she stood up.  “My place is closer, and we could go there and, you know, sleep.”   _Smooth_ , she thought.

Waverly looked like she was thinking for a moment, then she nodded.  “Let me text Wynonna and let her know I won’t be home tonight.”

Nicole didn’t ask what Waverly was going to tell her sister.  It wasn’t her business to push Waverly to come out to Wynonna.  Though Nicole had a feeling Wynonna was very much of the judge-not persuasion.

They walked in silence back to the deserted Bud’s Diner parking lot.  The drive to Nicole’s was brief and they were soon inside her apartment - a one-bedroom space on the second story of the drug store.

“This place is cute,” Waverly commented as she looked around for the first time.  Nicole didn’t have much in the way of furniture or decorations, but it was still homey.

“Is this your brother?” she asked, picking up a framed picture of Nicole and a handsome man with hair the color of Ron Weasley’s.

“That’s Teddy.  He desperately wants to meet you.  I told him, you know, maybe someday we’d take a road trip to come see him in Sherwood Park.  I just don’t feel comfortable with him coming to Purgatory.”  Nicole waited to see if proposing an out-of-town visit to her family - or insulting her city - would freak Waverly out.  

Waverly just smiled.  “I get it.  A road trip sounds fun.”

They made their way to Nicole’s bedroom.  Waverly leaned in the doorway as Nicole rummaged through her drawers.  She pulled out flannel pants and a t-shirt and tossed them to Waverly.

“Fangirl?” Waverly asked, reading the letters on the shirt.  “Is this supposed to be subliminal messaging?  Because I’m already convinced.”

“No, it’s for a show I really like - Lost Girl.”

“Never heard of it.”

“It’s great - we’ll have to watch it sometime.”

“Deal.  Now are you going to turn around while I change?” Waverly asked with a smirk.

“Sweetheart, I saw you with your shirt off the day we met,” Nicole answered.

“Hm, maybe now it’s my turn.  To make things even - it’s only fair.”  Waverly stepped into the room and gave Nicole a look that turned her knees to jelly.

Nicole froze, her own pajamas in her hand.  “I thought we were just going to sleep - high quality performance goals and whatnot.”

Waverly looked her up and down.  “Nothing says I can’t have a sneak peek.”

“Fair point.”  Nicole held Waverly’s eyes and reached for the bottom of her sweater.  She pulled it over her head and watched Waverly for her reaction.

“You had hopes of getting lucky tonight, didn’t you?” she asked.

Nicole was confused.  “What do you mean?”  She followed Waverly’s eyes to her chest.  “Oh, you mean my super sexy bra?”  She gestured at the black lace number.  “I wear this all the time.”

“Really.”  Waverly’s tone was skeptical.

“Well, not all the time.  I wear a sports bra when I’m at work.  So when I’m off I like to wear something girly.  Just for me - though if you like it you’re welcome to ogle me any time you want.”

“Lucky me.”

Nicole smiled.  “Okay, time for lights out.  I need my beauty rest.”

They finished changing and getting ready, then climbed into Nicole’s bed.  

“Is this side okay?  I know some people are picky,” Waverly asked.

“Well, it depends.  Do you prefer to be the big spoon or the little one?  I tend to sleep on my right side.”  Nicole answered.

Waverly paused a moment.  “That’s never been a question before.  I guess in my heteronormative experiences I just always accepted being the little spoon.”

Nicole laughed.  “Nothing says sides of the bed are locked in after the first night.  We can try this tonight and switch it up the next time.”

“The next time, huh?  You’re pretty confident, Haught.  Okay, I’ll try this big spoon thing.”

Waverly kissed Nicole sweetly, then snuggled up behind her after she rolled over.

“Good night, Waverly,” Nicole mumbled sleepily.

“Good night.”

*****

Nicole couldn’t remember the last time she had slept so well.  Moving someplace new had thrown her off, and being kidnapped led to some epic nightmares.  But last night had been peaceful.  She looked at Waverly, still asleep next to her and smiled.  She lay on her back, content to just be for a moment.

Soon, Calamity Jane leapt onto the bed, ready for her morning attention.  Waverly awoke with a start, clearly confused for a moment as to where she was.

“Hey,” Nicole greeted her.  “You sleep okay?”

Waverly looked around and realized she had scooted over so far that Nicole barely had any room.  “Sorry, I’m a bed hog.”  She ran a hand through her hair.  “Champ hated it, so we actually didn’t sleep-sleep together that often.”  She frowned.  “Is it bad form to talk about one’s boy-man ex while one is in bed with one’s new lady lover?  Or, soon-to-be-lover,” she corrected herself.  “One hopes.”

Nicole leaned in and kissed Waverly gently.  “It’s fine.  I want us to be able to talk about anything.”

“I want that, too.”  Waverly ran her fingers down Nicole’s arm.  It was distracting, but Nicole wanted to make sure they were both feeling good about where things were going.

“Is there anything you want to talk about now?”

“Like the lady lover thing?  I’m good.”  Waverly held out her hand to Calamity Jane, who sniffed it, then allowed herself to be petted.

“Good.  I’m not going to bug you about it all the time like it’s some huge deal.  You’re not freaking out, so I’m going to trust that you’re a grown woman who knows what she’s doing.  I’m not saying we can’t talk about the woman thing, or that you shouldn’t process it with Wynonna or someone who’s not me, but I’m not going to act like you’re some fragile flower who can’t handle something new.”

“For the record, the woman thing is pretty fantastic.”  Nicole couldn’t help smiling at Waverly’s statement.  “But you know what?  The really wonderful thing is that it’s you,” Waverly continued.  “I want to be clear I’m not attracted to you in spite of you being a woman - I very much appreciate the womanly things that make you a woman - but it’s the whole package.”

Nicole smirked.

“You know what I mean,” Waverly admonished.

“No, tell me more,” Nicole asked, batting her eyelashes exaggeratedly.

“Are you fishing for compliments?”

Nicole sobered.  “Not really.  But is it narcissistic if I want to hear what you like about me?”

“Not at all.  Shall I list them?”

“I don’t know - do we have that much time?” Nicole smirked.

Waverly laughed.  “Confident again, are we?  Okay, this is not an exhaustive list or in any hierarchical order, but I’ll give you the highlights: your smile, your eyes, those adorable dimples, the way you listen when I talk, the way you care about what I think, the way you think I’m strong, the way you’re strong, the way you put other people before yourself.  Oh, and how sexy you look in that uniform.  Especially the hat.”

Nicole couldn’t keep the goofy grin off of her face.  She swore to herself she would never take this woman for granted.

Waverly pushed a strand of hair behind Nicole’s ear.   “If it doesn’t sound too insecure to ask, why me?  You seemed pretty interested the day we met - was it my clumsiness or the fact that I took off my shirt for you?”

Nicole blushed.  “Full disclosure, I was already interested before that day.”

“Really?”  Waverly looked surprised.

Nicole took a breath and confessed, “I know this sounds cheesy, but it was like I got struck by lightning when I saw you.  My first day in town, I was pulling up to the police station and I saw you walking down the street, carrying some bags - you were probably coming from the grocery store or something - and the way the light shone behind you, your hair lit up like it glowed.  You weren’t doing anything but walking, but I couldn’t stop watching you until you turned the corner and went out of sight.

“I know it makes me sound like a creepy stalker, but I had to know who you were.  It wasn’t too hard - I managed to pick up pretty quickly your name and where you worked.  That day I came into Shorty’s I had finally gotten up the courage to introduce myself, and then it got awkward.  I came on too strong - I was so nervous, and you had your shirt off - but I backed off when you said you were with someone. I’m not interested in breaking people up.  That’s not to say I didn’t cheer internally when Dolls told me you broke up with Champ.”

“Dolls told you, eh?” Waverly smiled.

“Yeah - he was oddly supportive, in his own way.”

“He communicates a lot with very few words.”

“So you’re not freaked out - about my crushing on you before I even knew you?”  Nicole didn’t want Waverly to feel like she had been manipulated into something.

Waverly shrugged.  “Nah, I’m actually flattered.  No one’s ever fallen for me at first sight before.  Now, if you had turned out to be a jerk I’d have called Nedley to take out a restraining order on you.”

“Fair enough.”

“But you’re not a jerk.  You’re wonderful, and you make me feel things I never expected.”

“I make you feel things, huh?  I can definitely make you feel things,” Nicole’s voice dropped an octave.

Waverly laughed.  “You and your cheesy lines - don’t think I don’t see through that confident act.”

“Hey, it’s not an act!”

“You know what I mean - you care.  About me, not just about getting in my pants.”

“For the record, I -”

“Don’t even say it.”  Waverly smiled.  Then her expression turned intense.  “Just show me.”

Nicole looked into Waverly’s eyes and saw no trace of anxiety.  Just desire.  She brought her lips to Waverly’s and pulled their bodies together.

They took their time, letting the heat build.  Nicole was content to let Waverly set the pace.  At first, it was slow, Waverly taking her time to explore.  But then Waverly pulled Nicole up and stripped off her shirt, followed by her own.   

Nicole tried not to stare, then remembered it was probably okay, considering where they were heading.  Waverly was definitely doing her share of observing.  They dragged their eyes back to each others’, and Nicole’s mouth went dry.  This was really happening.  She pulled their bodies together, enjoying the sensation of Waverly in her lap again, this time with fewer clothes on.

She looked down.  “May I?” she asked.

“Please,” Waverly answered.

Nicole reached out to Waverly’s chest with one hand, touching gently, watching Waverly’s face for any signs of hesitation.  Seeing only pleasure there, she lowered her head and explored with her mouth.

The sounds Waverly made sent bolts of lightning to Nicole’s core.  Waverly buried her hands in Nicole’s hair, holding her in place and turning the lightning bolts into an electrical storm.

“My turn,” Waverly declared, pushing Nicole away, then onto her back.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Waverly’s interest in scientific rigor was put to good use.  She left no part of Nicole’s exposed skin untouched by her fingers or lips or tongue.

“Pants, off.”

Apparently, sex reduced the normally-verbose Waverly to one-syllable words.  Nicole was okay with that.  They had done tons of talking the night before.  She was happy to focus on the action.

Both fully naked, they kissed, letting their hands wander absently.  Eventually, Nicole ran her fingers up the inside of Waverly’s thigh, once again looking into the other woman’s eyes to make sure she was comfortable moving things forward.  Waverly nodded, and Nicole touched her, keeping her gaze on Waverly’s beautiful face.

Soon, Waverly’s hips thrust upwards.

“Inside?” Nicole asked.

“Yes,” Waverly confirmed.

Nicole desperately wanted to taste Waverly, but if the tension in the other woman’s body was any indication, she was getting close.  There was no reason to believe she wouldn’t get a chance someday - hopefully sooner than later - so she enjoyed the opportunity this position gave her to watch Waverly’s face.  

And Waverly’s face was so beautiful.  Nicole still couldn’t quite believe this was happening - that Waverly wanted this, too. She leaned down and kissed Waverly’s neck, focusing on her efforts to give as much pleasure to the other woman as possible.  

Soon, Waverly gripped Nicole’s bicep, her nails digging in deliciously.  Nicole thought she might come herself from the sounds Waverly made when she went over the edge.  

Waverly kissed Nicole, even as she shuddered.  “Mm, you’re amazing.”

Nicole pulled Waverly close and stroked her hair.  “I feel the same way.  You’re incredible.”

“How about I show you just how incredible I can be?” Waverly inquired, pulling back and looking into Nicole’s eyes..

Nicole was happy Waverly sounded confident.  She had no doubt it wouldn’t take much for her to explode - but she wanted Waverly to feel good about what she was doing.

Waverly’s touches were tentative at first, but she wasn’t afraid to communicate.

“Good?”

“Mm, a little harder.”

“Like this?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“More?”

“Please!””

After a shockingly short amount of time, it was Nicole who was crying out, completely unable to hold back - not that she’d want to.

She took a deep breath, trying to get her heartbeat back under control.  She was pretty sure she could spend all day in bed with Waverly and still want more.

“I didn’t know this was possible,” Waverly sighed, looking down at Nicole.

Nicole smirked.

Waverly laughed.  “Not the two women thing - Purgatory isn’t that backwater.”

“Then what?”

“That I could feel like this.  I thought Champ was the best I could do, then you came along and in an instant the world opened up.”  Waverly paused for a moment, then continued.  “It’s like things were in black and white - and that’s all I knew, so it was fine.  But I met you and in an instant I discovered color.  I wasn’t satisfied with what I had anymore - I knew then there was something else, something more.  I know it took me a minute to work it all out, but I’m sure now.  I’m so sure.”

Nicole was moved by Waverly’s description.  Her own experience wasn’t far off.  She may have already known she was interested in women, but seeing this particular woman that day a few months prior had changed everything for her. Now that she had Waverly in her arms, she would do anything to keep her there.

She pulled Waverly more tightly against her and pressed a sweet kiss to her lips.

She pulled back to look into Waverly's eyes and smiled, “So maybe I am a unicorn, after all."

Waverly grinned.  “Maybe you are.”

  
THE END


End file.
